Lisinda Bruynius, her husband Rudy, their two-year-old daughter McKayla and her two brothers, Damian, 6, and 10-year-old Tyrone, were enjoying a family getaway in Newquay, near Cornwall in England, on August 19 last year.
The family of five, originally from Surrey, were fishing on the rocks near the ocean after a local recommended the spot. The weather conditions began to rapidly change with the waves increasing in size by about two metres in a matter of minutes.
An inquest this week has heard how the fun family day out quickly turned to tragedy, The Sun reports.
"We had been there about 30 minutes and the boys seemed happy. We were all having a nice time and had no concerns," Lisinda, who was too upset to attend the inquest in person, recalled in a statement.
"Within five minutes the water had risen to about 6ft. I told the boys to go higher on the rocks. I recall saying, 'This is not normal'."
No sooner had Damian and Tyrone climbed to safety than a giant wave washed Lisinda, Rudy and McKayla - who was still strapped into her stroller - off the rocks.
"It came over our heads and came from nowhere. There was no time to say anything when a second stronger mass of water dragged us into the sea," she said.
"I was really shocked. I do not know how Rudy managed to free McKayla from her buggy but she was in Rudy's arms."
Lisinda said she remembered seeing her two young boys screaming as she and Rudy, holding McKayla, were dragged 15 metres out to see.
Then, she realised her two-year-old daughter had disappeared.
"I could no longer see McKayla in [Rudy's] arms," she said.
As rescuers arrived on the scene, Lisinda was able to swim to safety. Lifeguards pulled Rudy from the sea and began CPR. A short while later, McKayla was pulled from the ocean by a lifeboat.
Rudy died in hospital later the same night, while McKayla passed away from her injuries four days later at Bristol Children's Hospital.
Coroner Emma Carlyon ruled that both Rudy and McKayla's deaths were accidental.
"All evidence suggests this was a tragic accident. Both had been washed into the sea when the weather conditions changed dramatically," she said.
After the hearing, a statement released on behalf of Lisinda and her family said that the events of August 19 had changed their lives forever.
"I have been left devastated by what happened," the statement said.
“Rudy was a loving husband and a wonderful father. He leaves a void which can never be filled. He was our everything. We love and miss him so much.
"McKayla, our gorgeous, beautiful baby girl is forever in my heart and the pain that myself and the boys feel at losing them both is indescribable.
"The last eight months have been extremely difficult. I hope and pray others can learn from this tragedy."
Top Comments
so very sad.